Heretic: The Changing Way
A Tales From The Foundling Frontier Game

http://foundlingfrontier.freeforums.org/index.php

http://foundlingfrontier.freeforums.org/character-creation-t127.html

I’m currently looking for a few players (3-5) to join this new game.

The characters will recently arrived “mercenaries” to the notorious Tzeentch-focused Cabal of the Sixty Six; a powerful separatist faction established by the renegade Rogue Trader Zonia Rex within the newly founded Foundling Frontier. Whether they are there from loyalty to the Changer of Ways, a desire for glory or simple bloodlust is up to you.

This game will start a Rank 1 and there is limited availability for a couple of the human classes, but otherwise it’s largely unrestricted.

While the mission itself is set, players are welcome to deal with the situations they are presented with in any way they please; this mission will be a sandbox you can engage with however you like.

This game is being played as part of a much larger meta-story, which you can read about below and on the forum. If you’re not interested in all that, however, you’re more than welcome to join us all the same – despite being connected to a larger story this game is stand alone.

Game Premise

Over the last two years – and two distinct games – I’ve been writing and GMing an epically scaled Rogue Trader game (originally unnamed but more recently called The Black Expanse).

Beginning rather humbly as a simple multi-ship game it has since become a massive campaign of conquest, intrigue and dark heretical works. With over two years of actual, real gameplay and more than twenty fully fleshed out recurring non-player characters the game has most definitely grown far too big for its boots. As such, I’ve been working with one of my players (who’s been with me since the start) to revolutionise my complex setting.

This “new” game – Tales From The Foundling Frontier – forms the second sequel to my huge story, but will not be limited to a single setting (FFG product line). Rather, it will be told using the “novel” style; think of something like The Wire, Durarara or Pulp Fiction where a number of only slightly related characters, situations and points of view fit together to tell a complete story – in this case, the story of the Foundling Frontier (the renamed Foundling Worlds, currently in the process of being pacified by a small crusade).

Simply put; each game system here will be represented as its own individual game with completely different characters, themes and objectives all of which contribute to a wider story. These games will be played consecutively – rather than simultaneously – and players will have the chance to have a different character in every sort of story (or just the ones they like, taking a break when their game is on hiatus or perhaps running small side stories until we return to that game).

Heretic: The Changing Way is the story told from the villains side and you can expect it to be brutal and dark, with little in the way of humour and nothing in the way of mercy. Amongst my regular players I’m considered a ruthless GM who punishes any foolish misstep; and you can expect that to be dialled up to elven in this game. Even if you’re not interested in the big meta-story, I’m sure you’ll have some fun with it.

I checked out your links, and it looks fun and interesting. I have never played by post before and have a few question. First and most important is what time and day will the group meet on your forum to play. Second, your combat rules say to post the actions you are taking in red, I am sadly ignorant of how to do this, my computer has recently died and I do all my internet things on my phone now, if that makes a difference to any instructions you might give me about that. My last question is if you are allowing any of the advanced archetypes or other material from tome of fate/blood. I wasn't a hundred percent sure and just want to make sure before I send over a character you have to deny. I might have other questions too, but am currently too ignorant about the play by post way to know what they are yet.

There’s no set play time – we don’t play in real time. You just post when you’re free to (within reason – it’s not fair to keep people waiting more than a day or two). Generally you can post whenever you like, and things only slow down when combat starts. When it does, everyone just restricts themselves to posting that round’s actions. Posting order does not matter – I sort it out afterwards in my reply.

The “red” comment refers to a font tag. When you make a post in the forum it gives you the option to highlight and change the colour of words. It’s self-explanatory when you try it. It should work on a phone, although I haven’t tried it myself I’ll admit.

There are only two character restrictions, which are listed in the character creation link I’ve got up there. So long as your character fits within the Rank 1 XP structure then you can play it. Some of the options from Tomb of Fate – powers and such – you can get at an early level, but I think all the archetypes there start with more XP so would not be available.

If there's any room left, I would like to be part of this.

We have one absolutely confirmed player and one more or less confirmed but waiting on final choice of characters, so there is still plenty of room.

Please sign up with the forum, follow the character creation guide and then say hi to everyone over there. Any questions or problems, please PM in the forum (Claw).

Welcome aboard!

Might be interested as I have been thinking of leading a game of OW in pen and paper and if things go right and insanity & corruption stack nicely then the players might find themselves in Screaming Vortex. So might be leeching some ideas. Just quick question about dice rolls. Do you use some net diceroller or just roll with anything at hand (normal dice or use application) and then post the result?

When you say characters start at rank one, which system's rank structure are you going by, as black crusade doesn't go by one.

I would be interested but have a few questions as I have had experiences with play by post games. I could usually get multiple posts in a day or at least one the vast majority of the time.

Firstly when doing combat do you have a time limit on waiting on player responses, as in within twenty four hours of your post as the GM? Sadly I've been in some promising PBP games before that just died the moment we hit combat because a turn could take a week… so one quick fight equalling a month usually doesn't even see the end of the month.

Secondly you mention some of the options in Tome of Fate being available what about Tome of Blood, I'm mainly thinking of Legacy Weapons as I've just read the section and they sound like fun!

@Routa-maa Personally I use the dice roller on the Wizards website or actual dice. I take it on trust that people aren’t cheating. It’s a little petty to cheat really, as you aren’t in competition with each other. I’m sure everyone is adult enough to be honest.

@Cryhavok That’s my Dark Heresy brain talking; wrong terminology! I mean brand new characters with the standard starting XP.

@Gaius You’re absolutely right. In the past I’ve gone to great efforts to encourage my players to deal with as much as they can without fighting to mitigate this, but people have a tendency to shoot first and ask questions later. Nothing much I can do about that. I try to keep things ticking along quickly (generally a day or two and I’ll skip anyone who hasn’t posted), and tend to down grade enemies slightly so the grunts go down faster so it doesn’t bog. However, you do occasionally get a long winded fight that drags. It’s just how it is.

For very active players I have a separate folder where they can do their own threads, covering events in the player’s life before the game for example. I don’t usually get involved in those myself, but I do try reward a good thread and will use material in the storyline if I can.

In this campaign I’m also running a background folder of narrative stuff between, mostly, myself and the other GMs. When a player’s character died during the last game I started something with him there so he wouldn’t be left out. If you find the pace too slow, that is also a possibility.

I don’t have Tomb of Blood. That’s the only reason. I’ll get it eventually, so I might consider allowing things from it so long as they aren’t too complex off the bat.

I now have five players for this. There is one more spot open for the time being, but get in there quick before we close!

And we're full. Sorry folks.

Next game in this campaign will be Only War in three or four months I expect. Catch you then!

Ah sorry, should have been quicker sorting out a character, been a little busy. Have fun.